Product diverting mechanism in packaging system

Abstract

A product diverting mechanism used in a packaging system, which is effective to increase the speed at which the products are successively diverted, includes a force applicator for applying a force, including a force component acting in a horizontal direction, to the products transported from a preceding station, in a direction transverse to a direction of transport of the products, a suppressor disposed above a transporter for suppressing an upward shift of the products which occurs when the force applicator applies the force to the products, and an elevator for moving the suppressor up and down. The suppressor is lowered during an operation to divert the products so as to contact an upper surface of the products.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A product diverting mechanism for diverting products on a transporter in a packaging system for packaging the products that have been transported from a preceding processing station, said product diverting mechanism comprising: 
       a force applicator for applying a force, the force including a force component acting in a horizontal direction, to the products being transported, in a direction transverse to a direction of transport of the products;  
       a suppressor disposed above the transport means for suppressing an upward shift of the products which occurs when the force applicator applies the force to the products;  
       an elevator for moving the suppressor up and down; and  
       an elevation controller for controlling the elevator to lower the suppressor to thereby allow the suppressor to be brought into contact with an upper surface of each of the products during diverting of the products.  
     
     
       2. The product diverting mechanism in the packaging system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the elevator controller causes the suppressor to be shifted upwardly to a stand-by position before the product is transported to a position immediately below the suppressor, but to be lowered after the product has been transported to the position immediately below the suppressor. 
     
     
       3. The product diverting mechanism in the packaging system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a detector for detecting passage of the product towards a position immediately below the suppressor and wherein the elevator is lowered at a predetermined timing subsequent to detection of the product by the detector. 
     
     
       4. The product diverting mechanism in the packaging system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the suppressor comprises a movable plate supported by a frame for movement up and down between stand-by and lowered positions and also retractable upwardly relative to the frame when the product is brought to a position immediately beneath the suppressor with the movable plate contacting an upper surface of the product, and wherein when the movable plate is lowered with its undersurface contacting an upper surface of the product, the upward shift of the product is suppressed. 
     
     
       5. The product diverting mechanism in the packaging system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the suppressor comprises a support member disposed at a location confronting the movable plate, a plurality of guide rods extending through the support member and a stopper fixedly mounted on an upper end of each of the guide rods and held in abutment with an upper surface of the support member, and wherein the movable plate is fitted to lower ends of the respective guide rods. 
     
     
       6. The product diverting mechanism in the packaging system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the upward shift of the product is prevented by a weight of the movable plate. 
     
     
       7. The product diverting mechanism in the packaging system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the force applicator comprises at least one pair of eccentric pulleys, each having an axis of rotation extending in a direction parallel to a direction of transport by the transport means, and a belt trained around and between the eccentric pulleys and adapted to travel in a direction perpendicular to the direction of transport, said belt having a portion that protrudes upwardly from a downwardly displaced position below a path of transport defined by the transport means, towards an upwardly displaced position above the path of transport during rotation of the eccentric pulleys to thereby shift the product upwardly. 
     
     
       8. A product diverting mechanism, for diverting products on a transporter in a packaging system for packaging the products that have been transported from a preceding processing station, said product diverting mechanism comprising: 
       a force applicator for applying a force, the force including a force component acting in a horizontal direction, to the products being transported, in a direction transverse to a direction of transport of the products; and  
       a suppressor disposed above the transport means for suppressing an upward shift of the products which occurs when the force applicator applies the force to the products;  
       said suppressor comprising a movable plate supported by a frame for movement up and down between stand-by and lowered positions and also retractable upwardly when the product is brought to a position immediately beneath the suppressor with the movable plate contacting an upper surface of the product, and wherein when the movable plate is lowered with its undersurface contacting an upper surface of the product, the upward shift of the product is suppressed.  
     
     
       9. The product diverting mechanism in the packaging system as claimed in  claim 8 , the suppressor comprises a support member disposed at a location confronting the movable plate, a plurality of guide rods extending through the support member and a stopper fixedly mounted on an upper end of each of the guide rods and held in abutment with an upper surface of the support member, and wherein the movable plate is fitted to lower ends of the respective guide rods. 
     
     
       10. The product diverting mechanism in the packaging system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the upward shift of the product is prevented by a weight of the movable plate. 
     
     
       11. The product diverting mechanism in the packaging system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the force applicator comprises at least one pair of eccentric pulleys, each having an axis of rotation extending in a direction parallel to a direction of transport by the transport means, and a belt trained around and between the eccentric pulleys and adapted to travel in a direction perpendicular to the direction of transport, said belt having a portion that protrudes upwardly from a downwardly displaced position below a path of transport defined by the transport means, towards an upwardly displaced position above the path of transport during rotation of the eccentric pulleys to thereby shift the product upwardly. 
     
     
       12. A product diverting mechanism for diverting products on a transporter in a packaging system for packaging the products that have been transported from a preceding processing station, said product diverting mechanism comprising: 
       a force applicator for applying a force, the force including a force component acting in a horizontal direction, to the products being transported, in a direction transverse to a direction of transport of the products;  
       a suppressor disposed above the transport means for suppressing an upward shift of the products which occurs when the force applicator applies the force to the products;  
       an elevator for moving the suppressor up and down; and  
       an elevation controller for controlling the elevator to lower the suppressor to thereby allow the suppressor to be brought into contact with an upper surface of each of the products during diverting of the products, wherein the elevation controller is operable to control the elevator to shift the suppressor upwardly to a stand-by position in which the suppressor is not in contact with the products.  
     
     
       13. The product diverting mechanism in the packaging system as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the elevator controller causes the suppressor to be shifted upwardly to a stand-by position before the product is transported to a position immediately below the suppressor, but to be lowered after the product has been transported to the position immediately below the suppressor. 
     
     
       14. The product diverting mechanism in the packaging system as claimed in  claim 12 , further comprising a detector for detecting passage of the product towards a position immediately below the suppressor and wherein the elevator is lowered at a predetermined timing subsequent to detection of the product by the detector. 
     
     
       15. The product diverting mechanism in the packaging system as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the suppressor comprises a movable plate supported by a frame for movement up and down between stand-by and lowered positions and also retractable upwardly relative to the frame when the product is brought to a position immediately beneath the suppressor with the movable plate contacting an upper surface of the product, and wherein when the movable plate is lowered with its undersurface contacting an upper surface of the product, the upward shift of the product is suppressed. 
     
     
       16. The product diverting mechanism in the packaging system as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the suppressor comprises a support member disposed at a location confronting the movable plate, a plurality of guide rods extending through the support member and a stopper fixedly mounted on an upper end of each of the guide rods and held in abutment with an upper surface of the support member, and wherein the movable plate is fitted to lower ends of the respective guide rods. 
     
     
       17. The product diverting mechanism in the packaging system as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the upward shift of the product is prevented by a weight of the movable plate. 
     
     
       18. The product diverting mechanism in the packaging system as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the force applicator comprises at least one pair of eccentric pulleys, each having an axis of rotation extending in a direction parallel to a direction of transport by the transport means, and a belt trained around and between the eccentric pulleys and adapted to travel in a direction perpendicular to the direction of transport, said belt having a portion that protrudes upwardly from a downwardly displaced position below a path of transport defined by the transport means, towards an upwardly displaced position above the path of transport during rotation of the eccentric pulleys to thereby shift the product upwardly.